What floats your vote?
Friday, April 13, 2007

The sun is out, the memory of Cardiff City's ineptitude is beginning to fade and the frying pan burn I've inflicted on my face has healed just enough to allow me to suck on my first Cadbury's Creme Egg of the year. 'Tis truly a glorious day. And so, I've decided to be positive for once.

No trawling through other blogs looking for inconsistencies, no cruel lookalikes of Assembly Members and no smug analyses. Because today I'm beginning to decide who should get my vote on May 3rd and I want to make a decision for the best possible reasons.

The worst kind of floating voters in assembly elections float right on past their local polling stations. Thankfully, I'm not one of those. But I do have a float factor of about 60%. I suppose I'm more of an aero than a packet of quavers in that respect.

I'm a graduate, I've just acquired my first car and I'm in need of a job and somewhere to live. Nasty people want me to give them in excess of twelve grand just because I dared to get myself an education and I sort of feel Welsh, given that I sat through that 5-1 drubbing against Slovakia and still had the balls to go back for the next game.

I'm not going to rush into anything, but Plaid's £5,000 towards a first home is certainly the most eye-catching policy in the homecare department.* Still, the Tories have put forward a radical green agenda and I like the Lib Dems' apparent willingness to legislate in favour of our country's cultural wellbeing. As for Labour, I've had my doubts that they are truly a party for my generation, but they are starting to make the right noises. You just need to compare house prices with average incomes to know there's something seriously wrong there.

But for now I'm undecided. All this still floats my vote. And if by May 3rd none of them convince, I suppose there's always the New Millennium Bean Party...

*Diclaimer: While I would qualify for this (thanks Mr Gasyth), I wouldn't be eligible for Plaid's student debt relief because I had the audacity to get educated in England before returning to Wales.

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posted by Blamerbell @ 5:54 am,

17 Comments:

At 7:06 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The family is always a big thing in elections. So vote for the family - for example vote for your sister

 
At 7:27 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't think you could vote for her if you wanted to, Blammie, as I'm sure you well kniow. You just "outed" your general location as Merthyr Tydfil on Radio Wales.

 
At 8:16 am, Blogger Blamerbell said...

"You just "outed" your general location as Merthyr Tydfil on Radio Wales."

Ah but I can choose to vote in Cardiff Central instead as I also live there. Which should it be Mr Political Pundit Expert Man?

 
At 8:42 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ah, a man with a country retreat. Remember that to vote twice is an offence - at the different places of course, not using the two ballot papers.

I wouldn't dream of offering detailed advice on how to vote (you never know who's reading). But before you make your mind up consider two things: (i) if you like really long ballot papers vote in Merthyr, where there are five independent candidates; (ii) if you prefer to receive your election literature in Welsh, and want to give everyone a fair chance, wait till you get the UKIP leaflet through in Cardiff Central and then just send them a stamped addressed envelope and you can get a Welsh language election address, which should help inform your vote.

In general though the great thing about the electoral system for these elections is that your vote will count - even if just the regional list one - because even if some of the constituencies are ultra-safe then every party has much to gain from regional representation, and the majorities on them are not huge.

 
At 8:49 am, Blogger bethan said...

I would excpect him to vote with his political persuasion in mind, and I don't think that blamberbell has ever been a Plaid supporter! Lib dem perhaps;-)...

Disclaimer*** but you won't qualify for a free toothbrush either as your too old!

 
At 9:08 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Vote for anything but Labour, UKIP, BNP, Welsh Christians, English Democrats, Communists, Socialist Labour, Veritas, or the Lib Dems."

So of the main parties that leaves Plaid or the Conservatives - are you an outrider for the coalition Welsh Labour keeps telling us could well be born? :)

 
At 9:14 am, Blogger Blamerbell said...

"Vote for anything but Labour, UKIP, BNP, Welsh Christians, English Democrats, Communists, Socialist Labour, Veritas, or the Lib Dems."

It also leaves the Greens and the Socialist Equality Party.

Slightly unecessary name that. I'm all for inequality myself.

 
At 9:55 am, Blogger Aled said...

Blamerbell, I think you'd qualify for the £5,000 towards a deposit no matter where you were educated. It's the student loan pay-back that you wont qualify for as you spent that loan in England.

Surprised neither the Plaid candidate nor the Consultant spotted that one...

 
At 10:01 am, Blogger Blamerbell said...

" It's the student loan pay-back that you wont qualify for as you spent that loan in England."

Yes, you're right. I got in a muddle, but I was posting at 5am!

For the record, I didn't spend it all in England and I resent being treated as a second-class citizen in my home country.

 
At 10:01 am, Anonymous Anonymous said...

It also leaves the Greens and the Socialist Equality Party.


The Greens if you like travelling by horse and cart. Never heard of the SEP.

are you an outrider for the coalition Welsh Labour keeps telling us could well be born? :)


Either that or another four years of Rhodri the Half Wit

 
At 10:11 am, Blogger Damon Lord said...

I'm willing to be corrected, but Captain Beany is not standing in S. Wales Central or Cardiff Central, according to the BBC list of candidates published yesterday, anyway.

And if you're in Cardiff Central, vote for Tory candidate Andrew Murphy. But I would say that.

 
At 10:23 am, Blogger Marcusian said...

From having a few days bending Blammie's ear and listening to his views when he got a word in edgeways i can really see the dilemma he has with regards pinning his vote to a party...

I would vote for the minor parties, i think it would be healthy if we got a green AM, i am seriously considering voting socialist as my second vote as in my constituency Labour will not win a regional seat.

Actually, as long as you dont vote plaid im happy!! haha

 
At 12:25 pm, Blogger bethan said...

I was very tired when I posted earlier. Yes mr Gasyth you are totally right about the £5000 grant

 
At 12:51 pm, Blogger Deleted said...

I would rule out the Tories because I don't think they've had time to change from the party that was ejected in 1997. I would rule out Labour because of non-devolved issues like Iraq and ID cards, but also because nothing seems to have improved on their watch.

A minor party vote is a wasted one, even on the list. They are just not going to get the 14,000 odd votes needed for a seat.

So that leaves Plaid and the Lib Dems.

Personally I think Jenny Randerson has been pretty good, though she did send me into a near coma on "Wales Decides" but so did Dafydd Wigley and I'm a fan of his too.

On the list I would be torn between Plaid and the Lib Dems (I am equally undecided in South Wales West.) If the Tories win Cardiff North, the Lib Dems could well pick up a list seat. But which one I would choose...dunno.

 
At 1:20 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Vote for Ron Davies, he's a deviant

 
At 4:09 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Vote for Ron Davies, he's a deviant

Especially if you're a badger.

Vote Plaid, cos all the others suck.

 
At 8:31 pm, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Vote Badger because Ron Davies sucks

 

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